webmaster@huffingtonpost.com Copyright 2007, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Kitchen Daily on Huffingtonpost Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/thenewswire//2.1293831 2012-02-22T22:43:29Z 2012-02-22T22:43:27Z

When planning what to cook for dinner, seafood is often overlooked. Chicken takes the spotlight, beef is pretty high up there and even fish is,...

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/juliethomson/ <p><br>When planning what to cook for dinner, seafood is often overlooked. Chicken takes the spotlight, beef is pretty high up there and even fish is, too. But for some reason, seafood rarely gets considered. It's not for a lack of popularity. Shrimp, scallop and lobster dishes can be found on almost any restaurant menu. And yet, making a simple and satisfying dish of linguine con vongole never crosses our minds. This has got to change; there is so much to discover. The French don't call seafood "fruit de mer" -- literally translated as fruits of the sea -- for no reason!</p> <p>Bringing seafood into your cooking arsenal will open up an array of new, succulent recipes to enjoy at home. And the best part is, it's entirely affordable. Some items, such as mussels and clams, are even a more economical option than chicken most of the time. Many of these dishes take less than 30 minutes to get on the table, and only call for a handful of ingredients -- relying on the natural flavors of the "fruits of the sea." </p> <p>Learn how to quickly <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/22/how-to-prepare-mussels_n_1294077.html" target="_hplink">prepare fresh mussels</a> with this quick tutorial.</p> <p><strong>What is your favorite seafood recipe? Leave a comment below!</strong></p> <p><HH--236SLIDEPOLLAJAX--210591--HH></p> kd-153311 2012-02-22T22:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:04Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153311--HH></p> kd-153312 2012-02-22T22:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:04Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153312--HH></p> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/thenewswire//2.1293969 2012-02-22T21:48:19Z 2012-02-22T21:48:31Z

Onions are the backbone to almost all savory dishes. These layered bulbs can be astringent, sweet and tangy all at once. They are the not-so-secret...

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/juliethomson/ <p>Onions are the backbone to almost all savory dishes. These layered bulbs can be astringent, sweet and tangy all at once. They are the not-so-secret ingredient for many home cooks and professional chefs alike. An onion alone can fill your kitchen with the sweet smell of a satisfying meal to come. Just sautéing them in a bit of olive oil -- the first step to many recipes -- will have people wondering what delicious feast is being created in your kitchen.</p> <p>Finding a fresh onion is almost as important as selecting the right variety. One that is heavy in your hand and very firm to the touch is the freshest. If an onion is soft or has a strong potent oder, than it has past its peak and will most likely give off an unpleasant flavor. Onions can store well for up to two weeks (sometimes longer) in a cool, dark place. Sweet onions, however, have a bit of a shorter life span. Onions are notorious for making people cry, but there are <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/04/chopping-onions-tear-free_n_1181225.html" target="_hplink">a few tricks to avoid the reaction to the gases</a>.</p> <p>With many varieties out there, a few different colors to choose from, and sometimes vague recipes to deal with, it can be hard to know which onion is best to use. Some are better suited for cooking with, and others should never be used for sauteing. Click through the slideshow below for a quick onion guide.</p> <p><strong>Which is your favorite onion? Leave a comment below!<br /> </strong><br /> <HH--236SLIDEPOLLAJAX--210664--HH></p> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.1285691 2012-02-22T19:42:29Z 2012-02-22T19:43:40Z

Julie Tilsner http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-tilsner/ <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/bhc.southwest.quinoa.html" onclick="window.open('http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/bhc.southwest.quinoa.html','popup','width=540,height=326,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2012-02-17-bhc.southwest.quinoa-thumb.jpg" width="540" height="326" alt="" /></a>I didn't even know how to pronounce quinoa until a few years ago,</p> <p>"KeeNoA," I said. "Isn't that like a super grain the indians used to eat or something?"</p> <p>"It's pronounced "Keen-WA," said my friend, who watched me silently while I danced around doing my best Karate Kid imitation. "Keeeeen-WAAAAAAA!!!!"</p> <p>When I was done she added, quite seriously, "It's a very important and very nutritious grain."</p> <p>Well. That may be. But I was still very wary of our friend quinoa.</p> <p>In my abject ignorance, it ranked up there with the sorts of vaguely frightening and definitely unpalatable foodstuffs like tempeh and spirulina that uber-healthy sorts eat. And since I've always felt like my love of rice and beans and lentils should adequately pay my rent in the healthy eating food space, I didn't have to go out there into the wild outback of unpronounceable grains.</p> <p>But then I saw a recipe for something called southwest quinoa salad. And for some reason, maybe it was the lunch hour, maybe it was the photograph, or the mention of black beans... it stuck and plagued me until I broke down and resolved to give it a whirl. Quinoa and everything.</p> <p>First, I procured a box of quinoa from Trader Joe's.</p> <p>I riffed on this recipe I found on my latest favorite blog, <a href="http://www.mykitchenaddiction.com/" target="_hplink">My Kitchen Addiction</a>:</p> <p>Here's her recipe, with my changes:</p> <p>• 1 cup quinoa<br /> • 2 cups water<br /> • 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
 (or about 2 cups cooked black beans)<br /> • 3 ears of steamed corn, cut off the cob (yeah, right. It's Jan. I used one 15-ounce can of corn)
 ... or 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed<br /> • 1 red bell pepper, diced<br /> • 1/2 red onion, chopped<br /> • Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped</p> <p>• Kosher salt<br /> • Freshly ground black pepper<br /> • Mixed greens (optional)<br /> • Avocado slices (optional)</p> <p>I rinsed the quinoa first. It's very small and light and a lot of it floats. So you have to strain it through a fine mesh.</p> <p>Cook the quinoa in the water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes.</p> <p>While you're cooking the quinoa, chop the veggies and prepare the lime cilantro dressing:</p> <p>Use the good chili powder, from Little India. Then:</p> <p>• 1 lime (zest and juice)<br /> • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br /> • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar<br /> • 1 teaspoon chili powder<br /> • 1 tablespoon agave syrup ( I used honey)</p> <p>Mix all the veggies in a bowl, add the COOLED quinoa. Toss with the dressing and refrigerate for a few hours. Serve over greens....</p> <p><br /> The Drama Teen inspected this. "Are you making fish eggs?" she asked. No, I said. It's quinoa.</p> <p>She's gotta learn this from someone, right?</p> <p>I dished this out and passed it around. it looked good to me, but who knows what it tasted like.</p> <p>Verdict?</p> <p>"Excellent," said the lovely ex. And then fixed me with a look. "Who are you and what have you done with Julie?"</p> <p>Audrey, a kitchen goddess, also praised this salad. "I can't eat all that," she said, when I presented her with a plate. And then she finished it all. I was thrilled. Because Audge knows good eatin'.</p> <p>I'm warming up to quinoa. I'm not so afraid. It's not so crunchy after all. I think I can work with it.</p> <p>I think next time I'll try this recipe. It includes feta cheese, and cooks the quinoa in chicken broth. A sinful (and flavorful) way to counteract the holy righteousness of quinoa.</p> <p>Keeeeen-WAAAA!!!"<br /> </p> kd-153289 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:40:59Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153289--HH></p> kd-153290 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:40:59Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153290--HH></p> kd-153291 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:40:59Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153291--HH></p> kd-153292 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:00Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153292--HH></p> kd-153293 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:00Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153293--HH></p> kd-153294 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:00Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153294--HH></p> kd-153295 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:00Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153295--HH></p> kd-153296 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:00Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153296--HH></p> kd-153297 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:01Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153297--HH></p> kd-153298 2012-02-22T19:40:54Z 2012-02-23T07:41:01Z

Kitchen Daily http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kitchen-daily/ <p><HH--RECIPE--153298--HH></p>